English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology

Etymology — The origins of English words

Where do words come from? Trace the origin and history of any English word, from its Latin, Greek or Old English roots through to its modern meaning. Every etymology is sourced.

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From Latin prōdūcō, "to lead forth," from prō- ("forth") + dūcō ("to lead").

From Old French sauveté, ultimately from Latin salvus ("safe, whole").

Scottish Gaelic

From Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm, literally "army cry" or battle cry, later softened in meaning to any catchy repeated phrase.

From Middle English dys, plural of "die"; the spelling later shifted to reflect its pronunciation as a single collective word.

From Middle English acursed, from acursen (“to curse”), from Old English ācursian, from ā- + cursian, from curs (“curse”). First attested in the 13th century.

From New Latin laudanum, ultimately from the Greek word for a fragrant resin; the spelling may also have been shaped by Latin laudo, "I praise."

From laud ("to praise") plus the agent suffix -er.

From laugh plus the suffix -able.

From Middle English laughynge, the -ing form of laugh.

From Greek "pragmatikos" ("skilled in business or affairs"), from "pragma" ("a deed" or "a thing done") — the same root as "practical."

From Arabic halal, meaning "permissible" or "lawful."

From Old English freondlic, formed from friend plus the adjective suffix -ly.

From French ignorer, from Latin ignorare, "not to know" — from in- ("not") + gnarus ("knowing").

From Old French regreter, "to lament, mourn," probably ultimately from a Germanic root meaning "to weep."

From Middle English thennes, formed from thenne (\"then, from there\") plus an old adverb ending -es.

From Old English hleahtor, related to Old High German hlahtar, all imitating the sound of laughing.

From Old English hwider, an old question-word meaning "to what place" — a relative of who and where that has mostly fallen out of everyday speech.

From Old French lancier, "to throw a lance," from lance.

Shortened from Middle English lavender ("washerwoman"), from Old French lavandiere, ultimately from Latin lavo, "to wash."

From Latin laureatus, "crowned with laurel," from laurea, the laurel wreath given as an award to poets and victors.

From Old French lorier, ultimately from Latin laurus, "laurel."

From Middle English trasch, likely from Old Norse tros, "rubbish, fallen twigs and leaves."

From re- ("again") plus cycle, ultimately from Greek kyklos ("circle, wheel").

From Old English þancas, plural of þanc ("thought," "gratitude").